


Once Upon In Neverland

by felicity_smoak_queen



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 02:50:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4374332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felicity_smoak_queen/pseuds/felicity_smoak_queen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Complete AU Set in Season 1. There was no curse. Emma is set to marry the Dark One's son, a reward given by her father, for rescuing her. Would she marry him if her heart already belongs to someone else, to a pirate and an outlaw to their kingdom?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

She had a long and tiring day. She had offered a handful of bargain to her father but he would not heed any of it. His words stil rang on her ears. It is final—a law and her mother cannot even dissuade him.

Marriage. Yes, an arranged marriage is a common to their kin. She was beyond mad at the thought of it. All her life, she dwell on the fantasy of ending up like her parents, bonded by the true love and like every stories, was a happy ending. 

And hers wasn't. It's a tragedy. Every time her thoughts drifted to it, her heart grieves, her throat burns, and tears started to fall from her eyes.

She hated the witch who took her away.

She hated the day when she ran from her beloved.

She hated that she bore hatred in her heart that day. 

She hated that she never really did hate him but still did. 

She hated herself for being weak.

She hated her father that he didn't allow her to carry a sword.

She hated her father for the decree that he gave in exchange for her life.

She hated her now doomed fate.

And now, she has to marry the son of the Dark One. Of all the men in the realm, it was Baelfire, that was what he was called, whom she would spend her entire lifetime, being a wife to him. Her parents fell into despair, upset even, when they learned about this knight who came to rescue her. But his father's words were honourable, and unbreakable. Least of all, the Dark One's reputation precedes him. They wouldn't want to cross him. Now, all her hopes are gone.

And that man, the man whom she loved the most, left her. He didn't came for her, not a shadow looms around. Of course, his reputation precedes him as well. An outlaw to the realm, brandished as evil as the Dark One. But the people knew him little enough to brand him as such.

He was gone. And with him, he took the biggest part of her heart and left her with a gaping hole. The pain was unbearable.

Killian. And she cried to sleep that night.

____________________________

He drank the rum straightly and with a loud clank when he set it on the table. He wanted to forget that all of these were a bad dream, that everything is a lie —deception, whispers of evil, that people conjure for him. He was beyond mad, grief and mad again. This was beyond worse than Milah's death. This was beyond grief when he saw her heart on the crocodile's hands crumbled to ashes. And he couldn't save her. He couldn't do anything apart from watching her die in his arms. And now, the reptile was digging his tomb, again. He's taking her away from him.

He asked for another rum. He wanted to scream and but his love for her restrained him.

What has she said to him?

That she didn't believe he was evil. She didn't buy the label people has called him. She saw him differently from the other's eyes. She changed him. And most of all, she has given him hope to live and to love again. He smiled at the bitter memories. And now, she will be gone. Forever.

If he hadn't left her, all these wouldn't happen.

If he stayed for her, her life would not be in danger. He was supposed to be her protector, her defender, her savior.

If he just accepted her pleadings, none of this things wouldn't come to her marriage.

He ruined it all. He ruined himself and her. He ruined her fantasy of having a real family. He ruined his chance of a happy ending.

He remembered how dreamily she plans to grow old with him and he laughed at it. She had planned her future with him. But, what future could he gave her when he is nothing but an outlaw, when her father kept a price for his head. He knew he could not gave her what she deserve.

She was a princess and he was a pirate.

"Aye, Captain, you shan't waste life for the second time." Smee sat in front of him.

"You bloody keep your tongue else you would not be using it again." He spat at him. Smee gulped and bit his lip.

"Might be. Our captain walks in the shadows of the Dark One." One of the pub drinkers laughed at him.

His jaw clenched, holding the mug with utmost anger.

"Aye, that it is. The Dark One didn't fought for our Captain Lady, so might our broken Captain as well follows his reputation." The pub erupted to laughter.

"I'm no coward!" He yelled at them. His face was red in anger. Had it not for his princess' memories, no one could laugh at him. Their heads might be rolling down the streets that night.

He stood up abruptly and walked to the door. The laughter died down. But before he could vanish into the darkness, he heard someone, commented at his rather grand exit. "That's a better head start for him."

And he knew better what to do for his princess, for his Emma.

_______________________________________

Emma woke up with the chilly air. Her eyes flickered momentarily before she yanked her blanket. She might have forgotten to close the window before she fell asleep again. She walked towards the window sill and reached for it. She was closing the right part when she saw something moved just near her sill. She reached her candelabra on her table and thought of a thief. But who would dare? Her room was in a tower, tens of feet from the ground. She reached the right window when a hand grabbed her arms.

"You would wake the dead, love." He spoke just before she could muster a scream. And she knew who it was. Her heart pounded against her chest as she took a lungful of air. She could not be mistaken. Not in this lifetime. 

She tiptoed at the sill and just beside it, he was hanging for his dear life.

"What are you doing here?" She asked trying to keep her voice down.

"Wouldn't you have me in?"

"But..."

"Right, love. I will stay up here hanging my foot on my tomb." 

"Alright." She said resigned at his charms again, what is it with her that she couldn't even say something that would upset him. Love, emma, you love him dearly, her mind screamed at her.

She reached to help him get inside. Boy, was he heavy.

The next thing she knew, his lips were crushing on hers. He tastes rum. Had he been drinking? Her thoughts died down when he pulled her closer. He kissed her tenderly and she returned it with the same delight, feeling the weeks of separation dissolve into passion. He kissed her neck, her cheeks, her nose, her eyelids and she felt the moisture of his mouth lingers wherever his lips touched.

"I'm sorry." He murmured at her ears.

She broke from his arms and met his eyes. There was regret and pain etched on his face. Her heart quenched at the sight of him. He was utterly lost and broken, like her.

"You left me." She croaked.

"I know and I'm sorry love." He kissed her lips again.

"You abandoned me and took my heart with you." Tears were stinging on her eyes. She cannot cry again. She had poured every tears she had but alas, she had restored even more for this.

"And I regret, every inch of it. I'm sorry." His knuckles brushed the tears falling freely from her face.

"I hate you!" Her fist met his chest, pounding him. "I hate you. I hate you for leaving me. I hate you for letting me marry him. I hate you." Finally she sobbed at his chest. His hand snaked through her body and held her.

"And all I can say is sorry." He whispered through his ears. " There is nothing I could do for you to forgive me. But I'm sorry love." She stiffled a cry. "I'm here now and I love you. Nothing changes that."

She sniffed, trying to wipe her tears with the back of her hand. It was ungraceful.

"You're here but that wont change the fact that there comes a day when I had to marry him. And I can't run from it. He is Rumplestiltskin's son. The son of the Dark One. The kingdom will perish."

His eyes glistened as it stares back on her. "If there was a way, would you dissuade your father?"

She met his eyes. Was he jesting now? No, he wasn't. He was serious about it. If only he was an open book like she is, then perhaps, she would know his thoughts.

But she knew perfectly her answers. She would not lie to him. Her Killian, most of all. She sighed, and gazed at him, "I'd rather die than marry him."

There was a momentarily shock in his eyes then his lips curled to a smile. "Then, you would."

Before the words could register to her, she felt his hands on her chest and she felt lighter. Then, there was only the sensation of falling.


	2. Chapter 2

The bell rang all throughout the day. The whole kingdom was silent. Everyone donned themselves in black, a symbol of mourning.

The last time she wore that color was for her mother and now, she never thought she would wear the same color again, in her daughter's. It should be the other way.

Her daughter was gone.

Emma was gone.

Tears streaming down on her face as Charming reached out for her. His face is set on a grim. He was grieving on his own way.

Every time, her daughter was in danger, her heart was never appease, she was restless. But somehow, she knew, someone was there to save her.

When Emma was little, Charming saved her from a group of bandits, someone who bore ill-will to the realm. And, if she was lost among the woods, Charming was the first to find her. She saved her from the savage beast. Red saved her. Knights saved her. Recently, The Dark One's son saved her. Yet now, no one did.

No one saved her precious daughter.

She remembered too well when the news reached them. Before the light breaks out, Lancelot came pounding through  their door, disturbed her rather unpleasant dream. Every morning, it should have been a good news, but today was different. It was bad. The worst of the worst news came to her.

The princess was found dead, fell from her tower. She was barely recognizable She couldn't have the strength to see her in that manner. She was bloody murdered, pushed to her own death.  

"She was a princess. She doesn't deserved to be murdered by a soulless creature." Charming bellowed his anger to the knight.

She thought to keep her anger, but she couldn't contain it. She yelled at him. "He was no creature! He was a devil!"

"Whoever did this will pay. I swear it on my life." Charming was gritting his teeth in anger.

"My Emma." Snow murmured. Charming tightly hugged her and her sobs was joined with his own.

_________________________________________

"She's what?" His head snapped at the royal guard who bore the message from the palace. The parchments and scrolls on his hands tumbled down the floors.

"It is, sire. Princess Emma was pushed to her death at her room last night. She was barely recognizable." The knight repeated them as if he misheard them. But clear as the day, they weren't.

"Who did it?" Angst, fear, grieve and regret. They were all building up in his heart. The last time he felt this was for her mother. The woman she most dearly loved, who had a fate like his Emma. And they were all gone before him.

"No one knows, Sir. There was no trace of the culprit." The messenger answered.

He filled his lungs with air as if it could erase whatever he was feeling by now.

"Surely the person must be punished." He stated.

"The king ensured there would be. The person cannot go unscathed. It was treason to the royals."

He clenched his fist.

Emma. He was his first love. Even from the distant, he loved her, adored her, even.

He maintained his distance from her for his reputation precedes him. He was after all, the son of the Dark One.

He wanted her safe from his father. From his magic. From his evil deals. It couldn't be his father who did it, did he?

They were together last night having the heated conversation of his soon-to-be-marriage with the princess. No, his own father couldn't take away his own happiness. He was a deceiver but murderer wasn't his own doing.

Emma was gone. He would never see her golden white hair, or that wit smile she carries around, nor hear her soft voice. She left him, his betrothed. And the future he planned will never even work. She wouldn't be there anymore. He saved her before and now he couldn't. He should have stayed at the palace when the King insisted but he didn't. He and his own pride.

"I must go and see her." He scrambled to his feet.

"You must, sire. The king and queen grieves utterly for their loss."

"It is my loss as well." He said.

_______________________________________

He stood by the deck of his ship, the Jolly Roger. The clouds are as dark as he felt today.

_Why has it come to this?_ He asked himself. _It must be, because you love her_ , his sane self told him otherwise.

Yes, for love, he would do anything. He does not need to feel the same feeling he felt before. He doesn't want to be alone.

_Emma, forgive me._

He remembered the first time he met her. Memories of her came rushing in. 

He was drinking himself to oblivion, alas, he had returned in this forsaken place, the place he wouldn't dare to step afoot but he bloody should be.

For revenge.

For his hand.

For his lost love.

The place was ever the same, the tavern people merrily drinking for all their reasons they should drown themselves, just like the last time he was here, and her, alive and warm.

The pub was echoing with tales, though he wasn't the one who's telling them like before.

He was after all, Captain Hook, the now fearsome, bloodlust pirate in all the seven seas. He was in a corner having his third mug of a rum, thinking a hundreds of ways to skin his "crocodile", when he heard one of his ship crews boast of their quest.

"He is the way of the seas. Bloody hell, he'd kill a dozen hydra all in a hand, literally."

His brows furrowed, that story was years and years ago. And was one of the quest he did with her. And laying those monstrous beasts' life was for her.

"Retelling a story has always been a pirate-y thing, though none of it were quite true. Stories made up to lure people to their deaths."

His mug suspended in his mouth, averting his gazes to whoever scornfully remark at their travels. All his crews gazed at the direction opposite to him.

It was dark in that corner and the... Lad, was wearing a dark cloak. His jaw clenched, the last he saw a lad clad in cloak, everything had gone awry.

Before he could spoke, a crew of his answered back. "Oi, foolish lad, you're a mainlander, one who doesn't know anything with iron and salt. How bloody well do you know those daft remarks?"

"Enough for me to factually say such things." The man said.

"If you bloody love your tongue, earn to keep it else it would be kissing the dirt." He said out loud, earning him all the attention.

Every one gasped at the tavern. Some murmuring his name in fear. Even in the dark, their eyes grew wide in terror. Ah, the name who graces fear.

"Aye, it's me, fortunately." He walked down the center. He scratched his chin and smirk handsomely though his patience was wearing off. "What's your name lad? You would likely be...a better crew aboard my ship. What do you say?" He said and arched his brow.

The lad stopped in his drinks. His gaze linger on him. Typical men who wants sailing as soon ship has been mentioned, he thought annoyingly.

"No pirate is honorable. And best if I keep myself by stooping on a land rather than earning it on waters." His smile died down. He lowered his face while gazing at him.

"You seem to know a lot of traveling on seas. Might as well, enlighten me." He smirked at him but he could never make his face at such distance.

"All I know is that pirates entails bloodlust, and treasures taken as tokens of their malevolence."

He would have to chastise him and had him earn his place with his blade but the tavern door flung open with one of his crew rushing in. "Palace guards! Palace guards!"

Upon hearing it, the lad clad in cloak scrambled on his feet, brushing past his crews who were running curses at him. He smirked at the gesture he made.

Fugitive, he is. "We must hurry, Captain. They are in search." His crew said.

Well said, it was unwise for them to linger the town. The new King had ensured that the place will be far from danger and peace should last. After all, the ogre war was over.

"Go back to the ship. There's something I need to find out." He said. He brushed off his coat as he felt powdery dust on his hand. Gold powder. While his crews dashed away, he stealthily walked through the tavern's back door. Yet suddenly, he bumped unto something.

"Are you blind?" He heard a woman's voice.

His brows arched and looked at the splayed woman on the ground. Bet, that shriek came from this hooded figure. Hooded figure, what's with all these humans trying to hid themselves?

"Here." He offered his hand for the lass.

"Gentleman now, are we? Don't need your help." She said.

"I'm always a gentleman." He answered as he picked up her satchel and handed it back to her.

"I can see that." She smirk and brushed off the dirt on her coat and took her satchel from him and stepped away from the tavern.

"Wait, why are you here?" He called her. Somehow, he was being pulled towards her and yet he didn't know what made him to do it so. Suddenly, his thoughts trailed on the lad earlier and without any hesitation, the words flail from his lips. "Are you the lad with a lashing tongue?"

The hooded figure stopped in her tracks and faced him. "Excuse me?"

"You. You were the lad who had the guts to insult me and jest at..."

"What in the seven seas are you talking about? I'm no lad." She bellowed at him before he could even finish his words.

And with that, she lowered her hood. He held his breathe. The lass was surely a woman of beauty. Her golden hair tumbled on her chest. She was fair and she radiates like sun, as if when he touch him, surely he would caught in fire and wither away. He knew she was danger and he should keep away from her. Yet, she was an inevitable gravity. He would rang another scornful remark at her, but his lips were pressed in a thin line. The woman walked towards him.

"Sorry, to disappoint you mister. Maybe I'm not a lad but I'm more than a man in many ways." She said stressing the last few words.

He smiled broadly, looked at the cobblestones and then back at her. He was sure as hell, the lass was more than mets the eye. "Pardon me, love. I'm not accustomed to people to wear hoods and cloaks. They always give me the impression that they all comes with hidden motives."

The woman pressed her lips trying not to bit it. She was hiding something. That face was well known to him.

"Ah, so, I did hit it correctly." He grinned at her.

"Were you trying to escape from your captors?"

"Apparently, they may have the same intentions from us but I will be kept away from foul darkness unlike you." The woman knows how to answer and only a few does to him. He flashed his beaming smile at her.

"I'm just a blacksmith. Pray, what ire do I deserve the cell?" She crossed her arms on her chest.

"I'm gonna let you in on a secret." She inched in front of him. "I'm pretty good at knowing when someone is lying to me." Her pale aqua eyes met his own pale blue eyes.

His face was a hairline away from her.

"I'm telling you the truth, lass. Now, what does those guards need you for?" He whispered.

She blinked a few times and backed away.

"I'm just a shepherd's daughter." She answered.

"For someone who knows lies, you're pretty bad at it." He said as he took a step towards her.

His presence made her uneasy and he liked the way, her face etched with fear. She took a deep breathe. She was now standing in front of him.

"My father was and that made me one."

And he didn't anticipate her next move. The next thing he knew, his face was on the ground and he winced at the pain on his head.

"I'm pretty sure, an outlaw like you will serve the cell well. You better start talking, else, that'll serve you well." A dagger was now inching his throat. She was headstrong, swift and all the dilly-dally thoughts of her was gone. She was no weak and lame like most of the ladies.

She was like her. No. She wasn't. She was entirely different from her.

He chuckled at his rather graceful capture from a woman. "Good for you. You bested me. I can count the amount of people who've done that in one hand."

"That's supposed to be funny? Who are you?"

"Killian Jones. But, most people know me by my more colorful monicker, Hook."

"As in Captain Hook?" Shock was displayed on her face as her grip loosen.

He smirked. "Ah, so you've heard of me." He smiled at the reputation he precedes now.

When her grip softened, it was his cue. He grabbed her hands and rolled over her and seethed the dagger on her throat and pinned her arms over her head.

She yanked herself. "Let me go!"

He grinned again. Fire was lashing on her eyes. He flicked his tongue and moved his face closer to the woman.

"Normally, I prefer to do a rather enjoyable activities with a woman on her back. With my life on the line, I've no choice."

"Let go of me, pirate or I swear I'll have your head on your ship."

"Ohh, should I be scared?" He mimicked. "Why would that scare me, shepherd's daughter? Your staff wouldn't match my sword."

"A wooden staff wouldn't match your sword. But a golden staff will do" She spat at him.

His teeth clenched. "Who are you, shepherd's daughter?"

"Emma. My name is Emma."

___________________________________

"Captain, she's awake now."

His thoughts were cut abruptly. He looked to his crew and with his hand, he dismissed him.

He felt a sudden pang on his chest. He wasn't even afraid before. He didn't even knew that word. He could welcome death as inevitable as air to breathe, without remorse, without fear.

But meeting her, seeing her and being with her, it changed everything.

Now, he could scarcely look into the mirror without looking at himself being a coward. All his strength, drained him.

Could he even look at her in the eye? Would she even forgive him?

He knew all to well, this would be the turning point of everything. These would end up losing everything again now.

The moment he turned his back on her, it was all gone.

Before, revenge became his lifeline and now, there was nothing left but her. And he knew, he would feel the void of losing everything there is to it.

Yet, she has to know the truth. She bloody deserves it. And if by some chance of miracle, she would understand or even hear him out.

He filled his lungs with air and walked past his cabin.

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing. Hi there lovely people. This was originally posted in ff.net, but here it was. Anyway, comments are my cookies so, I would really appreciate them. xoxo K


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